Nov. 20--The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the State Fire Marshal announced Monday that they will join forces to address the cancer epidemic among firefighters in response to a Dispatch investigation published last month.
BWC officials said they plan to work with the fire marshal to grant departments across the state money for pieces of equipment that "protect against carcinogens and other harmful elements."
The fire marshal is already providing a $500,000 fund for training and exposure prevention. The BWC is committing another $1 million in training to improve emergency response and reduce exposures.
"Firefighters put their lives on the line on a daily basis," State Fire Marshal Jeff Hussey said in a prepared statement announcing the partnership. "We want to ensure they're equipped with the best resources to do their jobs safely."
The move addresses concerns raised last month in the Dispatch's "Unmasked" series, which detailed the grave threat of cancer that firefighters face and the steps that need to be taken to the reduce the risk.
The five-day series included calls by firefighters and their advocates for changes to equipment and a culture that downplays the necessity for wearing protective gear.
The series also uncovered a lack of national standards for cancer prevention and scarce resources to address the problem.
"Firefighters face unique and life-threatening hazards as they protect the lives and property of their fellow Ohioans, and they deserve our best efforts to keep them safe on the job," said Sarah Morrison, BWC Administrator and CEO. "We have committed a number of resources to reduce these dangers and improve the safety and health of Ohio firefighters."
The two agencies plan to reach out to all departments in Ohio to offer training grants to purchase protective equipment.
Firefighters are at least 14 percent more likely to develop cancer than the general public because of their exposure to harmful chemicals and smoke during fires, according to a study by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.
The Dispatch conducted a statewide survey of 1,300 firefighters that found about half of them now believe that cancer is their biggest risk on the job.
The survey found that 1 in 6 firefighters had been diagnosed with cancer during their careers.
Most of the 360 fire chiefs who responded to a second survey agreed that cancer is the greatest occupational hazard for firefighters, but only half provide training or have rules -- such as required cleaning of gear following a fire -- to prevent it.
Hussey, the fire marshal, said he wants to talk with departments about training opportunities and grants and loans available through his office in the Ohio Department of Commerce to help fund equipment purchases. Some grants directly fund safety equipment and better training.
He said he also plans to educate smaller departments that serve communities of fewer than 25,000 people about grants available specifically to them.
Last week, The Dispatch hosted a public forum with the Columbus Division of Fire on the dangers of cancer for firefighters. During the forum, Kalida Fire Department Chief Dale Schulte said his department is left out of grant opportunities because his department is small and staffed with volunteers.
State Rep. Christina Hagan, an Alliance Republican whose husband is a firefighter, said she was not aware of that problem and would work to address it.
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